Te Puna Oranga o Seven Oaks is as the name suggests a
- well-spring of holistic organic education -,

Low-cost week-end courses on organic gardening throughout the year that are open to the general public.

A wide of range of courses are continually on offer from: an introduction to making compost, the well-spring of organic growing through to seed saving, EM/Bokashi, permaculture, grafting, pruning, cider making and Raranga Maori weaving to take advantage of the Pa Harakeke at Seven Oaks.

For a list of the current course download our course schedule Seven Oaks Organics 2012 Organic Courses(pdf)

For more information and to enrol in courses email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The former Christchurch Polytechnic organic horticulture campus, called Seven Oaks, in the Christchurch suburb of Opawa has taken a new lease on life with the formation of Te Puna Oranga o Seven Oaks Organics.

Several years ago Christchurch Polytech ceased their horticulture courses and closed down the site. Shortly thereafter Project Lyttelton saw the value in the central city location and organic status of the site and resumed cultivation of the gardens. During the summer and autumn months they ran a vege box scheme out of Seven Oaks and gradually restored the land to regular cultivation. Being on the other side of the Port Hills from Lyttelton meant the gardens were always out on a limb for Project Lyttelton and they were pleased when a group of local residents offered to take care of Seven Oaks.

The Seven Oaks Education Centre with its new and exciting approach to educationing young people has taken the lease from CPIT. The school is under the umbrella of the Holistic Education Trust whose vision is to change the face of education in Aotearoa New Zealand. They have encouraged Te Puna Oranga o Seven Oaks Orangics as part of their inclusive model as a much welcomed addition to their education approach. For more information Seven Oaks Education Centre can be contacted on 3778603 weekdays or check out their informative website on www.sevenoaks.school.nz

The current lease holders are Seven Oaks Education Centre. This independent school is very supportive of the goal to restore the organic educational heritage of the site and happily shares the site with Te Puna Oranga.

Seven Oaks is also home to the Southern Seed Exchange seed collection, housed in a purpose-built adobe shed. The site boasts several classrooms, vineyard, winery, orchard and diverse tunnel and greenhouses. All this within a few kilometres of Cathedral Square and comfortable walking distance to regular bus services.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Current Courses

For a list of the current course download our course schedule

Seven Oaks Organics 2012 Organic Courses(pdf)

For more information and to enrol in courses

Contact Vanessa Lukes

Phone 981 7580

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Objectives

The five tenets of the group are:

  1. to bring together people of all cultures with a universal goal of growing healthy food;
  2. to create a practical and accessible organic garden structure;
  3. to educate people in the values of healthy organic foods and lifestyles;
  4. to provide an inclusive, enduring people-focused activity;
  5. to build partnerships with mana whenua as kaitiaki for this special education centre.

The greatest asset of the site is its history as a centre of holistic education. Many visitors remark on the wonderful feeling the gardens and buildings have. A feeling that comes from the many years of teaching organics that took place there. This energy engenders a desire to learn and share in the history. The underlying belief is that the educational kaupapa of the site must be preserved.

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